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Viera
Viera Mysterious and aloof, the Viera are a race of humanoids noted for their rabbit-like ears and (until recently) xenophobia. Tribal by nature, the Viera grew in two of the least-hospitable locations on Fontraile; the Northern Viera are native to the frozen northlands of what is currently Raxis; the Southern Viera, conversely, are native to the badlands of Uiala Island in the Vadrigan Islands. In both regions, the Viera have only in recent decades begun to leave their ancestral homes and become more common on the global stage. As both subspecies evolved in harsh climates, they are hardy and agile. The Viera have dwelled in the forests and mountains of what's now Raxis - as well as the Badlands of Vadriga's Uiala Island - for many generations, living far away from other races in villages ensconced deep in the wild. Such settlements are invariably well-protected, protected with thick walls and designed to allow a village's occupants to mount a defense. Relationships with other societies in the region of a Viera tribal settlement, historically, are distant; they will trade with them, but show extremely little trust of outsiders. In more recent years, they have had had no trouble melting into human societies; still, expatriate Viera are ultimately closest to one another, thanks to their shared history and long lifespans; any city with significant Viera presence will see them form fairly large, self-contained communities within short order. Appearance The Viera look quite similar to humans, but they have several decidedly unusual features, including long, rabbit-like ears and supple limbs. Due to their digitigrade feet, heeled shoes are an orthepedic necessity for Viera; their feet are clawed, with four toes (for northern Viera) or three toes (for southern). Southern Viera usually have slightly shorter ears than Northerns. Northern Viera tend to have relatively earthy hair-coloration; usually shades of white, gray, or black. Other shades aren't unheard of, and are usually viewed as a sign of good fortune; muted reds, browns, or other colors occur (frequently indicating a non-Viera parent). Southern Viera, conversely, have lighter skin-tones, and hair-colorations more in line with hume norms, with blonde, white, and brown being the most common.Regardless of the species, hair is usually worn quite long, and sometimes extensively decorated. Female Viera are often considered quite beautiful, though Viera males are often considered somewhat effeminate by human standards. Northern Viera have longer and thicker fingernails, more closely resembling claws than actual nails, though many Viera prefer to keep them trimmed short. Noteworthy Attributes The Viera are considered to be a deeply emotional race, but often are considered extremely reserved by those who've met them. In truth, both perceptions are, in fact, accurate - most Viera have developed a sense of strict self-control in order to keep their turbulent emotions at bay. This tendency often culminates in a flood of emotion when stressed, and is the main source of the formidable psionic and magical abilities that Viera typically possess (Northern Viera, as a rule, generally possess psionic abilities, whereas Southerns typically possess magical abilities). Because Viera in general have good reflexes, superior eyesight, and the aforementioned psionic or magical ability, they are highly in-demand as soldiers. A large number of northern Viera have been lured to the cause of Destiny's Call, courtesy of atrocities by the Valendian government and Natural Selection. In countries like Raxis, they see frequent use in special operations forces; more Viera serve in Raxis' Psi-Corps units than any other species. The main drawbacks of Viera in a military capacity is that gear (Boots, helmets, etc) have to be custom-tailored for them, and that their sharp senses are a drawback as well as an advantage - their ears are more vulnerable to loud noises, and their eyes recover from flash overcompensation (flash-blinding) slower than other races. Viera have a higher fertility rate than many other humanoids, which, like their ability to cross-breed with other species, is believed to be an evolutionary adaptation to the Viera's prediliction for living in harsh climates. Viera are reknown for a trait that several have derogatively referred to as "shotgun eugenics" - they can inter-breed with a large number of different humanoid species, including humans, planetouched, and elves. The result of these cross-breedings are, invariably, more Viera, regardless of whether the Viera parent was male or female. A typical female Viera has a 12-month pregnancy; multiple births are uncommon. Humans are usually favored for these breedings in the event a Viera is unable to secure a Viera mate; unlike Sirens, Viera do not suffer the same problems from cross-breeding outside their own species. Both species of Viera can inter-breed; the result is a Viera born with a mix of its parents traits, but they tend to strongly favor one parent over the other. For reasons unknown, female Viera outnumber males by a nearly 3-to-1 ratio; for this reason many Viera decide to take a non-Viera mate (often humans). Viera have extremely long lifespans, though not quite as long as Elves - Northern Viera can live as long as 500 years, whilst Southerns live a little shorter (about 450). Origin Both Viera subspecies - the northern and southern - have common origins (they were once one and the same, before generations of evolution did its work). These primeval Viera are now quite rare today. Culture Viera in military capacity can change radically in both form and fashion .Ones working for organized groups or governments usually are well-organized and conform to standard military methodology; ones from tribal villages form militia groups with little, if any structure outside the village. Each Viera community organizes its own fighting force as its occupants see fit, and they are typically led by an elder Viera, who serves to help train the younger and less-experienced ones. Depending on a given Viera community's relationship to the region, such a militia may be either fairly large and equipped with modern weaponry or fairly small and equipped mostly with primitive gear. There's little given organization; every member of a tribal militia group uses whatever weapons, armor, and equipment they want. A typical Viera militia member has devoted a solid 5 to 6 years learning how to fight. They choose to be warriors at a very young age, and their training, from that point onward, focuses primarily on that purpose. When a given Viera who has chosen this lifestyle chooses to retire, they often have decades or more of combat experience.